


the earth shifts

by Rainbowfunnk



Series: it 2017 [3]
Category: IT - Stephen King, IT 2017
Genre: Angst, Happy Ending, M/M, Pining, eds pining 4 rich cause i always see it the othr way round, they both think its unrequited bc thier dumb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-28
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2019-02-07 21:49:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12850212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbowfunnk/pseuds/Rainbowfunnk
Summary: “Aww, eddsie, you do care!”Eddie huffed and rolled his eyes, retorting with,“You need a girlfriend to use these dumb nicknames on, so I don't have to deal with them anymore.”Richie mussed up Eddie's hair with his free hand (much to eddie's annoyance),taking the bottle tossing the budt of his cig to the concrete, crushing it beneath his sneaker.“You scared of me replacing you? Don't fret, my dear, I could never replace my Eds!”





	the earth shifts

Eddie met Richie for the first time in fifth grade.

Richie is seated a single cheap, plastic seat away from himself, cracked knuckles covered in blooming purple bruises and his split lip and crooked nose letting on a steady drip of blood. His gigantic, coke-bottle glasses were missing a stem on the left side, and he was holding it in his loose fist. Eddie felt a wave of disgust, wanting to use one of the alcohol wipes in his bag to clean the drying streaks of blood from his lip and clean the dirt off of his hands with some of the sanitizer he kept on him at all times. Before he could, the kid swipes his hand along his face, streaking red all across his cheek, his hand, and pretty much everywhere eddie could see. 

“What’re you here for, guy?”

Eddie shuddered in disgust as he noticed the grit between the other boys teeth. His voice was cracking with every word, practically a scream through the desolate hallway. Eddie cautiously held out his bottle of hand sanitizer to the kid, barely supporting it with is fingertips, but the kid somehow to managed to get his grimy hand all over his own.

“I talked back to a teacher.”

Well, that wasn't exactly true. He had corrected a teacher. It wasn't his fault she was wrong. He felt his ears turn red as he wiped his his hand off on his shorts. He was embarrassed, yeah, but it seemed to make him feel even more nervous about what he had done. “My mother is going to kill me.”  
The kid grinned, a crooked-toothed, squinty eyed kind of grin. 

“Nice one, dude! Next thing you know, you'll be on a path of destruction paved along with yours-truly.”

Eddie didn't like that idea.

“I'm not destructive like that. This is a one-time thing. It should have never happened in the first place.”

The kds persistence didn't seem to ease.

“Thats what they always say!” He hadn't touched the hand sanitizer, but he reached over, forcibly grabbing Eddie and pulling his arm into a clumsy handshake. “Richie Tozier’s my name. What's yours?”

Eddie's hand felt gross in Richie's sweaty palm.

“...Eddie Kaspbrak.”

The kid gave another toothy grin, and gasped excitedly as he was to say something else, but one of the school secretaries popped her head out of the office door.  
“Richie, it's your turn,” The drawled with a (familiar) annoyance at Richie's presence. Richie grinned, shoving the unused bottle of hand sanitizer into Eddie's hand.

“It's been a pleasure, Eds! Maybe I'll see you in that seat with me again!”  
Eddie stiffened up in his seat, holding the bottle with tight, white knuckles.

“You won't... And don't call me Eds!” he called after him, but the door was already closing, and Richie Tozier was gone, leaving nothing but a bit of dry blood on Eddie's hand and some mud stains on the tile floor from his sneakers.

Turns out Eddie would see Richie Tozier again, both to his intrigue and his distaste. Seventh grade rolled through in a blur, somehow gaining Eddie a bunch of new friends over the summer of the seventh grade year before. It had started with Mike, who introduced him to Bill, who introduced him to Beverly, who introduced him to Ben, who introduced him to Stan, who re-introduced him to Richie. Eddie couldn't believe his luck, he had never had more than two friends his entire life. His mother made that impossible, it seemed to him. They spent weekends biking around the neighborhood, creeking, watching badly produced monster movies late into the night. For the first time in his life, in this weird band of losers, Eddie felt at home. He didn't mind being a loser if it meant he got to be a part of a ragtag group like this. He wouldn't change a thing.

Well, Richie always seemed to be a bit of a hassle. Always clamoring all over him, always touching him and shoving him and coming up with all of the most horrid nicknames he could muster. Smoking three packs a day at the ripe age of thirteen and always trying to drag Eddie along to go to bacteria-infested arcades. Eddie tried to explain the amount of sweat and dirt and grime was all over those controllers, do you know how many kids have touched those things, Richie? And little kids, no less! Hundreds of kids, at least half who don't wash their hands enough, festering on those controllers just waiting to give you an infection! Richie would just give him a roll of the eyes, and a, ‘whatever, Eds,” before wandering off to ask Bill instead. Eddie insisted he take one of his extra bottles of hand sanitizer with him, make sure to use it after every game you play, alright? Richie gave a wide smile, split by the cig hanging from between his teeth.

“Aww, eddsie, you do care!”

Eddie huffed and rolled his eyes, retorting with,

“You need a girlfriend to use these dumb nicknames on, so I don't have to deal with them anymore.”  
Richie mussed up Eddie's hair with his free hand (much to eddie's annoyance),taking the bottle tossing the budt of his cig to the concrete, crushing it beneath his sneaker.

“You scared of me replacing you? Don't fret, my dear, I could never replace my Eds!”

Eddie tried to brush his hair back into place as Richie strolled off, a spring in his step. Mussy, dark brown hair stuck up all over the place. His old goodwill windbreaker rolled off of his shoulders awkwardly, billowing up on his wrists where the sleeves were much too long. Sure, Richie could be annoying, take things a little too far, cross boundaries he shouldn't, but Richie did so many things Eddie (secretly) loved, too. He was the one to kill the spider, to crack jokes during boring movies to make them more interesting, to let Eddie borrow his walkman when he had to save for a new one. Mike had given him a look when Eddie mentioned it, quirking an eyebrow and muttering something about how Richie tried to bite the hand off of anyone that tried to so much as touch his walkman, let alone Eddie borrowing it. Richie was a jacket giver, an excited hugger, an explosion of glorious, vibrant color when everything else seemed black and white. Eddie stopped fixing his hair, eyes following Richie Tozier, wondering why his chest felt so warm as he thought it over. 

“I could never replace my eds!”

Ninth grade rolled by in a blur. Late night phone calls with MIke and Bev, going to their shitty school dance with Bill as his ‘date’. He, Ben and Stan had started a mini book club, hanging out on the steps of the library to talk about whatever they had chosen to read for the month. Richie had managed to drag him along to the arcade now and again this year, but the controllers had to be wiped down with a baby wipe before he touched them. Richie thought it was hilarious, but let him do his weird little ritual if it would get him to play a racing game now and again. Eddie was a little too aware of Richie. Maybe it was because he was fifteen now, never-been-kissed, never really talked to any boys before. Maybe Richie made everyone feel weird, that's just how he was. Maybe he was feeling the blood rush to his face everytime Richie casually leaned his head on Eddie's shoulder because he was sick. He spent a week and a half digging through medical books, missing he, Ben and Stans usual book club meetup to figure out what the hell was happening.

Eddie pretended not to know what was going on.

Richie messed around a lot, flirting with any guy, girl, or anyone in between. Richie had scored a date to freshman homecoming with some guy named Clark, missed the gang's usual movie night to hang out with some girl named April just a few weeks ago, was meeting another girl named Justice next to her locker in the mornings. It made sense, in Eddie's mind. Richie was a little---okay, a lot nerdy, but he had his own charms. Maybe they were attracted to Riches dumb humor, his adventurous mindset, he wasn't afraid to embarrass himself or do something idiotic for a laugh. He filled every room he entered with energy whether anyone liked it or not. At fifteen, he had not totally filled out, his clothes were still a bit baggy, he had this musty old pair of combat boots he refused to take off. But his hair had begun to curl, soften. He was tall, with eyes full of life and a smile that could bring flowers to life. Eddie pushed down his sickness as he watched Justice twirl her long brunette hair around her manicured finger as Richie was rambling on to her.  
Eddie chewed the inside of his cheek. Disgust seemed to crawl up his skin. Light from the shitty, dirty windows seem to fall onto Riches hair, illuminating him in an outline of greyish gold. He was moving like crazy, taking up all the space his long, awkward limbs could. He was moving a thousand miles a minute, ticking like a clock, wild, lanky limbs flying around. He never seemed to stop. Richie Tozier was constantly a ticking time bomb, blowing up and rebooting over and over. He never stopped moving, yet the ground shifted and moved beneath his feet. He molded and shifted the clouds as he saw fit. He looked fate in the face and he laughed, not from joy, but from mockery. Eddie wanted to be grabbed, to be thrust into whatever insane adventure Richie had in store. Richie could pick you up, spinning you around into a frenzy of dizzy mess, a twister and hurricane of insanity, leaving your hair messy and your eyes wide, wanting to start all over again. Richie Tozier made you laugh like a child and scream like an idiot. He was afraid of nothing, the world was his, and yours if you were with him. If you were his.

Eddie could never be Richie Toziers. Richie needed someone to meet his insanity, his wild and free spirit, someone who would run through hell with him without lagging behind.  
Eddie turned around and walked right back out the doors. He turned a shoulder to Riches wide eyes and glittering smile. He would find his own adventure. He didn't need Richie for it. Eddie stumbled down the road, wondering if he spent less time thinking about Richie, he would be able to feel the earth beneath his feet, too.

Eddie got a good tongue-lashing by his mother that night. He wasn't allowed to use the phone or go near the tv for a month. It didn't matter to him much, anyways. He layed on his back on his bed, the ceiling being his best friend. He pulled on his headphones and his mind went stagnant for a month.

Junior year came faster than Eddie anticipated. Bev mentioned he seemed distant during a study session. He just shrugged and went back to his math sheet. She gave a tight-lipped frown, cautiously sliding a cigarette to him across the ratty kitchen table. He looked up at her over his algebra two textbook. She quirked a brow at him, mentioning it was his choice but that he needed to hurry because her aunt would be home soon. 

She and Eddie sat on her back porch, shoulders and knees touching. Eddie kept coughing, hacking up the disgusting tar out of his lungs, but despite Bev telling him to stop if it was making him sick, he needed to be aware of his asthma, he down three cigs in the twenty minutes they sat outside. Bev wrapped her arms around his shoulders.  
Mike brought him a new cupcake once a week. They were the really fancy kind, homemade by the man himself. They were sugary, terrible for your body but good for your soul. Eddie was forbid to eat anything nearly that sugar-compacted by his mother, and he relished every single one he received. Mike would smile, a weak attempt at comfort, but Eddie didn't give him anything back as he thanked him for the cupcake and headed off to third period.

Ben suggested Eddie try reading new books everyday. He was the most forward, explaining that he noticed Eddie had seemed off the past few weeks and he thought these particular stories might lighten his spirit. Eddie reads a few, to Ben's delight. They talk about the characters, the plot, but never the romance. Eddie always has somewhere to go when they reach that topic. Ben doesn't argue.

Richie doesn't say much back. Bill asks if Eddie wants to come hang out with the two of them, Eddie declines. Richie leaves a note with a dumb joke on it, Eddie crumbles it up and throws it into the garbage. Eddie starts eating lunch in the library by himself, Richie doesn't follow him. The message was loud and clear, and Eddie took in his sad excuse for a life as he sees Richie pass in the hallway, arm wrapped around the waist of some boy he's never seen before. Eddie ducks behind a set of lockers. Richie doesn't notice.

Junior year ends.

Eddies a senior now. He feels better now. Not by much. He doesn't wince when he sees Richie, the group is slowly brought back together. Eddie feels like he and Richie are on opposite sides of a desolate island, nothing but their friends to anchor them back to reality. They go to the movies, they both sit on the isle seats. Someone needs to go get something from another room, one of them will get up too help for no reason in particular. Neither pipe up when the group is deciding something from fear of having to come to an agreement with each other. It comes to a head when Stan stands up, pointing to the two of them from across Bills living room and proclaiming they need to work out their issues before he goes insane. He grabs Mike and pulls him into the kitchen with him. The tension could be cut with a knife.  
Everyones piling into Bens car to head home. Eddie drove there himself and Richie walked. Ben offers Richie a ride. Eddie does not. Richie declines and starts the short walk home. Eddie watches as he saunters off into the fog of the early october night, noticing his shoulders hang a bit heavy. Eddie waits for Ben to pull out of the driveway. He shifts out of park, pulling out of the driveway, getting ready to drive off when he sees a figure in his rearview mirror. 

Richie.

He's just standing there, yards away, his shoulders are shaking. He's looking down, not moving like a ghost. Eddie feels his hands freeze. He can't drive away. His car is blocking the road, he needs to move. He can't take his eyes off of Richie. Finally Richie turns. Eddie can't see his face. Eddie is shaking. He puts his car into park instinctively. It’s one in the morning. He feels his hand pry open the door and his hair is getting damp from the rain falling through the trees. He feels like he's gonna fall over.  
Richie just stands there. He says nothing, and suddenly he's walking towards Eddie. His steps are heavy. Eddie rounds to the back of the car. His hands are trembling like crazy. Richie doesn't look so hot, either.

“What the hell happened sophomore year, Eddie?”

Eddie can feel himself crumbling like a dead leaf in Richie's clenched fist. Eddie cant tell whats in his voice-anger, confusion, sadness. Richie is still stomping towards him, his glasses are fogged from the rain. He seizes the front of Eddies jacket. There are tears pounding down his face. “Where the fuck did I go wrong?”

Richies voice cracks, and so does Eddies heart. When Eddie doesn't respond, Richie shakes him, not to hurt him or to scare him. RIchie is fucking hopeless.

“I-i dont…”

Richie let's go with one hand to pull his arm over his face. His teeth are gritting so hard they just might snap in half.

“I know I fuck up, Eddie, I fucking know that! You couldntve just told me what I did? You couldntve let me know I was running out of chances?”  
Riches grip on Eddie's shirt simmers out. Richie is almost doubled over. Richie is terrified. Eddie realized he was gripping onto the thin fabric of the jacket covering Riches shoulders. Eddie feels like he might crumble away. 

“You didn't do anything,” is all Eddie can muster from his dry throat. Richie has one hand pressed against the trunk door of Eddies car to steady himself. The windshield wipers are sticking into eddies upper back. “It was me.”

Richie managed to stand up. He rubs his eyes behind his still-foggy glasses. HIs teeth are clenched, even still. Eddie is hugging himself, huddling from both the cold and his own words. “Richie, it wasn't you, okay? I-it was me, alright? I fucked it up, I…”

Before he can stop himself, he reaches up and tugs off Richie's glasses. Richies eyes are scrunched closed, like hes in pain. He pulls a hand up to cover his face. Eddies talking before he forms words. “I didn't want to see you at girls lockers anymore.”

Richie takes his arm away, and looks at him. His eyes are sunken in, puffy from crying. HIs hair is sticking to his forehead, his lips pursed. He sputters out a “What?”  
Eddie reaches up, wiping the sticky, wet hair matted to Richies forehead. He reaches in his pocket for his aspirator, and Richie reaches in his pocket and pulls a half-empty bottle of hand sanitizer. Eddie pulls his wrist over his mouth as he chokes back was was probably a sob.

“You still carry that around?”

Richie goes silent, shoving it back into his pocket,

“Just in case.”

His voice was gravely. Eddie managed to sputter back a few breaths, before grabbing the front of Richie's jacket. He was much to aware of the cold, the rain seeping through their clothes. The risk of getting a cold or the flu by staying in this weather. Eddie ignored the hell out of it.

“I'm sorry.” Richie's eyes flicker back up to Eddies. Pools of deep, swirling black ocean boring into him. “I'm sorry. Im sorry, im sorry im sorry im sorry im sorry iimsorryimso-”  
“Eddie.” Richie puts his hand over eddie's mouth. “I just- i just wanna know why.” He pulls his hand away.

Eddie knew Richie Tozier as a lot of things. He knew his as a trashmouth, obnoxious and crazy and down for anything. Richie didn't need a how or a why, you could ruin his life or tell him you're a murderer and he would shrug it off and continue on. Eddie felt like a peice of shit. He had made Richie Tozier ask ‘why’. 

He reached up, with shaking hands, cupping Richie's jaw. He drops his aspirator. 

“I-i didn't want to see you wi-with anyone else.” Richie reaches up and puts his hand over Eddies. For a moment, Eddie is terrified he's going to throw his hands away, but instead RIchie leans forward, pressin his wet, cold hands over Eddie's own. Eddie is scrambling for the right words. “I love you.”

His voice cracks.  
RIchie stares at him, face swirling with all kinds of emotions Eddie is terrified of.

“Are you kidding?”

Eddie's heart snaps.

“No.”

It's cold, and it's wet, and he's standing in the middle of the road with his back pressed into to the windshield wiper of his car. Their standing outside of Bill Denbroughs house. There only one street lamp. Its one in the morning. He can't feel his fingertips.

Richie kisses him.

His arms wrap around Eddies back, and Eddie lets go of his iron grip on Richie's jacket to run his fingers through Richie's hair. It's a forceful, awkward, open-mouthed kiss, five years of bullshit all pouring out. Teeth clack together and Eddie is pretty sure his lip is bleeding a little bit. Richie is the one to pull away, gasping, leaning down and resting his forehead on Eddie's shoulder. Eddie wraps his arms around Richie's shoulders.

“I’ve had feelings for you since we met in the fucking office hallway in fifth fucking grade.” 

Eddie held Richie tighter.

“I didn't want to see you with anyone else,” Eddie gasped, carding his fingers through Richie's hair. He was still holding his glasses. “I saw you with all of those people, and I got-” Eddie buried his face in Richie's dripping hair. “I wanted to be th-the only one.”

Richie pulled away, his arms still wrapped around Eddie's waist.

“Oh please,” He laughed, to Eddies relief. “I could never replace my Eds.”

Eddie felt the earth move beneath his feet.

**Author's Note:**

> ive never rlly written a fic b4 so sorry its not great. sorry for any fuck ups in terms of grammer or spelling, my hands r still fucked.


End file.
